Sound Bites | Music  "Monsoon" – The Beginning of an Era

Angela Merkel becomes German Chancellor, "Jamba" gets rich with ringtones and MTV plays 50 Cent's "Candyshop" in a constant loop. It's 2005, and the hype about boy bands seems to be over when four teenagers from the Magdeburg area enter the stage – and for the boys, nothing stays the same.

Bill and Tom Kaulitz, seven-year-old twin brothers, sit in their nursery with guitars and strain the nerves of their neighbours with their first attempts at songwriting. Their future career aspirations: rock star! Stepfather and musician Gordon Trümper recognises their talent. From this point on, he supports the musical development of the boys. A few years later, the sibling duo was already on the local music scene and met bassist Georg Listing and drummer Gustav Schäfer in 2001 - and the band Tokio Hotel was born.
 
When they are not working on songs in the rehearsal room or playing concerts in the region, Bill and Tom pass their time early on with drugs and alcohol experiments in Magdeburg's punk and rave scene. Bill, in particular, is controversial with his outlandish appearance and dreams of an exciting life in the big city. Driven by this vision, he signed up for a TV casting show at the age of 13 and was discovered there by music producer Peter Hoffman. He releases Tokio Hotel's debut album Schrei.

The music industry senses that something is in the air, and so the major label Universal Music launches the first single release Monsoon in the summer of 2005. With gigantic success: the song enters the German charts at number 1 and stays at the top for five weeks straight. Tokio Hotel become superstars overnight.
  Monsoon not only goes through the roof throughout Germany, but also internationally - the chart entry is successful not only in Austria and Switzerland, but also in France, earning them a platinum and two gold discs. The fanbase even grows in South and North America, leading to the release of an English version of Monsoon, which is successfully marketed for two more years.

The secret of their success? The band is surrounded by a rebellious vibe. It particularly appeals to young people who don't identify themselves with the pop idols of the time. Lead singer Bill characterises the style of a young generation with his black-rimmed eyes, dyed spiky hair and androgynous look. Despite the rocky production, Monsoon is a poppy, melancholy song with longing lyrics about an unshakeable love - a mix that also wins over the heavy hearted ‘emo kids’ and outsiders.

Second Wind in L.A.

Their story is like a rock'n'roll fairytale. After the end of the boy band era, a hype arises that would never have been thought possible: Bill, Tom, Gustav and Georg can only appear in public with bodyguards. The band almost broke up due to public pressure, resulting in the twin brothers turning their backs on Germany after five years in the spotlight and moving to Los Angeles. They still live there today.

With over 10 million records sold worldwide, Tokio Hotel are one of the most successful German bands of all time. Almost 20 years after their debut, they are experiencing a second wind as a band, podcasters and series producers. Singer Bill, who came out as queer over the years, now serves more than ever as a role model for anyone who questions the common image of masculinity. And even though Tokio Hotel have now reinvented themselves musically, the song that changed their lives forever remains an integral part of every concert. Their fans, who have now grown up, continue to follow them "… through the monsoon, beyond the world, to the end of time, where the rain won't hurt."

September 2024